Ranch Concert Will Skip A Beat

After seven consecutive Back at the Ranch concerts, an event that has raised millions for charity, Gardner (Rusty) Leaver, the organizer, announced last week that there would be no 1997 edition. Mr. Leaver, an owner of the Indian Field Ranch in Montauk where the concerts were held, said he had canceled the concert because of a shortage of big-name performers and a shortfall in the proceeds from last year's concert.

There had been rumors that Bob Dylan and Tracy Chapman were being recruited to perform this year. And, Mr. Leaver had said last year that Paul Simon, a Montauk resident and creator of the concert series who performed at it for its first six years, would return this summer. None of that was to be.

"I'm not going to go through the motions just to have a concert. I've always wanted the show to be impeccable musically, and, frankly, this is a weak year for touring," said Mr. Leaver.

Not This Year

Big-name acts on a par with Mr. Simon, such as the Allman Brothers, Jimmy Buffett, James Taylor, the Highwaymen, Don Henley, The Cars, Foreigner, and Billy Joel, all of whom have starred at past concerts, either were not touring or already were booked, he said. James Taylor is, in fact, coming to the South Fork to headline Southampton College's All for the Sea concert on July 28.

Mr. Leaver said the decision had more to do with needing to regroup after last year's concert, which featured James Brown, Ray Charles, and a dance performance by Savion Glover, star of the Broadway show "Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk."

The event hit two major potholes. It drew a crowd of 5,000, roughly half the size of the previous year, and, while it was a critical success, it was not a financial one, said Mr. Leaver.

Withdrawals

Aretha Franklin was to be the headliner, but she backed out with three weeks to go, sending ticket sales into a tailspin. Then, the Retreat, which runs a shelter for battered women here and was to have been one of eight local beneficiaries of the proceeds, denounced Mr. Brown's participation and declined any donation. Mr. Brown has been arrested several times on charges he assaulted his wife, who later died of a drug overdose.

To make matters worse, there were grumblings among some of the concert's beneficiaries that its operating expenses had gotten out of hand.

The year before, the Nature Conservancy announced it would no longer participate, withdrawing from the concert the ability to operate under the agency's nonprofit designation. The conservancy had been the primary beneficiary and had acted as a clearinghouse for distributing gifts to other groups. Last year, the World Wildlife Fund took over that role.

Paul's Picnic

Mr. Leaver said that the concerts had raised $2.5 million over the years for good causes.

"The best way is to do the concert the way it was founded. I think it works best when it has Paul Simon hosting it. A local resident adds the right spirit. I like to think of it as Paul's picnic. I hope he finds his way clear to come back," Mr. Leaver said.

Last season, Mr. Simon was busy with other projects, including plans for a foray onto Broadway with a musical, and this year he is said to be occupied with rehearsals for that musical, "The Cape Man." His son, Harper Simon, and his band were the 1996 opening act, though.

Billy Joel, another local resident, was a surprise performer at the first event and headlined the second alongside Mr. Simon. He has not appeared since.

Lighthouse Rescue

Jimmy Buffett also performed once at Back at the Ranch, but last summer put his talent on the stage for the All for the Sea concert, a benefit for Southampton College.

The Back at the Ranch series began eight years ago when the Montauk Historical Society's Lighthouse committee went to Mr. Leaver with an idea for raising money to keep the Lighthouse from falling into the Atlantic. Over $200,000 was raised for erosion control that first year. Since then, the concert has underwritten nearly $500,000 worth of Lighthouse buttressing.

Mr. Leaver said Monday that he was relishing just being able to work on his ranch and the county concession he has across the street, at Deep Hollow Ranch. He said the big event had been "punishing to produce," hard on him, his wife, Diane, and the ranch's employees.

Nevertheless he has already thought of possible acts for next summer.

"I'd like to get Lyle Lovett or Bonnie Raitt. Or, I've been thinking about Bob Dylan. Dylan would be good with the Wallflowers," he said, referring to the popular band whose members include Mr. Dylan's son, Jakob.